Like Dust
by TamariChan
Summary: Eiralys just can't scream. Rated for strong implications of sexual assault and non-graphic violence, as well as a little bit of swearing. Written for 1500 word dash for Decathlon at fiefgoldenlake . proboards . com. Marek Swiftknife/Eiralys of Cavall, in the Bitter, Twisted Lies series.


**Disclaimer: **The world and characters of Tortall belong to Tamora Pierce, not to me.

Series: Bitter, Twisted Lies  
Event: 1500 word dash  
Words: 1500

Like Dust

Eiralys wants to be able to scream.

She wants to yell and shout and pull her hair out, but ladies don't do that. So she puts on a mocking smile and uses cutting words if she must. She's an example to Sunarine and Cathrea and little Margarry, and she makes her daddy proud.

She likes to find places in the village, little tucked away spots, and sometimes she sits there and stares into space (like a lazy little commoner, says that traitorous part of her brain) and hopes that someday she will be able to scream.

The villagers say nothing to Eiralys when they find her in odd places, and she says nothing to them, and years whirl past her on a velvet black horse and it's time to be married soon (much too soon).

There's a haMinch that Wyldon has selected for her, a bold knight with old eyes and older opinions. She thinks privately that he's fusty and much more suited to Cathrea than her, but in public she puts on that subtly mocking smile and behaves like a proper lady should.

Eiralys goes with two of her sisters to Corus on Eiralys' sixteenth birthday, and that's when Cathrea breaks and Sunarine falls. That is also when Eiralys meets Marek.

It's their second night in the city, staying at the Cavall townhouse. Cathrea and Sunarine are out shopping and Eiralys is napping when she hears a scream (and those aren't uncommon, not in Corus) but there's a clunk against the wall and Eiralys stumbles out the door.

And there's- there's a man there, and that's Cathrea, and Sunarine's nowhere to be seen- and Eiralys can't, she can't-

Someone drags the man off Cathrea and there's more screaming and the second man has drawn a dagger (and oh, this is fear) and Eiralys reaches blindly, silently for her sister. Cathrea screams and shakes in her arms, both of them sprawled on the ground without thought for dignity, and they wait.

At last it's over, and the second man stands above the motionless body of the first, both covered in blood. At first he does not meet Eiralys' eyes, or Cathrea's, which are hazed with tears and focused on the cobblestones of the street.

"My ladies," the man says, and Eiralys notices fuzzily that he is not young but still not as old as the haMinch she will marry. "Are you all right?"

Eiralys nods even as Cathrea screams again, and Eiralys feel a shiver wrack her sister's entire body. The man holds out his hand and helps Eiralys up. Cathrea clings to her, her shrieks fading into silent screams, and Eiralys does not know what to say or do or think or feel (and where, oh where, is Sunarine?)

"I'm Marek," the man says.

She stares at him. "Eiralys," she finally says with a numb tongue. "Have you seen my other sister, Sunarine?"

"Blonde, brown eyes, about yay tall?" He gestures and Eiralys nods frantically. "She and the girl here stumbled into my- a pub a while ago. I noticed that your sister-" he gestures to Cathrea this time- "was gone and so was a very… coarse… man. I thought it best to check up on it."

Eiralys stares at him again with volumes of thanks in her face, and shifts Cathrea- she's very heavy and Eiralys doesn't think she can do this on her own.

"Will you…" Eiralys, even now, has trouble asking for help, but Marek seems to know what she wants.

"I can carry her and help you get to your home, if you wish."

She's not sure if she can trust him (but she's Eiralys, after all, and she doesn't even trust herself) but she nods anyway and leads him, Cathrea in his arms, over to the Cavall townhouse.

Something indescribable crosses his face when he sees the Cavall coat of arms above the door, but he says nothing and helps her get Cathrea fairly calm before they set out to look for Sunarine.

"I can't believe this is happening," she says, not looking at the body in the street (anywhere else, anywhere) and focusing instead on Marek- who's actually quite handsome. She's trying not to scream or throw up or cry or do anything unladylike.

He has that same indescribable look, but this time he speaks. "I know, Eiralys." He gives her his jacket, good quality for a commoner, when she shivers.

They find Sunarine in the pub, just where Marek said she was.

She's very drunk and hanging upside down off of a table (and Eiralys has to remind herself that Sunarine's still a child, only fifteen, to keep from exploding with rage- why is Eiralys the only one who must act properly?). Marek points at her and Eiralys strides over, not bothering to walk daintily.

"Sunarine," she says in her most dangerous voice.

"Hey, Eir! Come to join the party?" Sunarine says. "Goody-" she mumbles the rest, but Eiralys gets the gist.

"Bitch," Eiralys says coldly, and she sees Marek start out of the corner of her eye. "You little bitch. Didn't I tell you to look after Cathrea? _Do you know what you've done_?"

Sunarine looks confused. "But she was just- she was just here." She scans the pub. "Cathrea's gone!"

Eiralys feels a tingle go down her spine and she tries to control the fire rising, rising up, but she cannot. "Sunarine," she says, "I'm aware of that."

"Who's this? Your new suitor?" Sunarine says, easily distracted. She gestures to Marek and Eiralys flushes with rage and embarrassment. Marek says nothing, letting her handle it.

"Sunarine, _enough_. Get off that table, get a hold on yourself, and we'll discuss anything else later."

Sunarine scowls but unwinds herself from her twisted position and stands. "Fine," she says. "Where's Cathrea, anyway?"

Eiralys looks away.

Marek, stopping his whispered conversation with a heavily hooded man, glances back to Eiralys. "Do you need any more help?"

She nods, flushing even deeper, and he helps her drag a now giggling Sunarine back to the house.

She sits on the steps once Sunarine has been put into bed and Cathrea has been checked up on. Marek joins her.

"Are you all right?" he asks.

She smiles humorlessly. "Why are you asking me? Cathrea's the one who was hurt."

"You have a lot to deal with, too," he says. "Don't downplay that pain."

Eiralys stretches back, the sharp edge of the step digging into her back. "I'm a lady," she says. "That's what ladies do."

"Scream," he says.

She gives him an incredulous look.

"Just scream. Let it all out."

"That's ridiculous," she sniffs. "People will hear- they'll think I'm crazy-"

"No, they'll think I'm torturing you," he says, and she can't tell if he's joking or not from his wry tone. "Just do it."

Rolling her eyes, she gives an experimental yelp. He scoffs.

"Is that the best you can do?"

Instead of yelling louder, she breaks down into tears and covers her eyes.

"Hey, hey," he says, touching her shoulder lightly. "You're okay, you're okay."

"I can't do this." Her words are cut apart by harsh inhales. "I want to go home, but home's not home and I don't belongand it's all a _lie,_ Marek. I'm just a lie."

Though he seems uncomfortable, he puts another arm around her. And she thinks, as she cries for the first time she was a baby, that this whole day has been ridiculous. Now she's being consoled by a man she met when he killed someone else (yes, just a typical day for Eiralys).

But his arm is warm, and with her eyes covered it's dark. She feels for a moment like she's back at [home] Cavall, tucked inside a shed, hearing the rain (not her tears) trickle down the roof.

She pulls away from Marek abruptly and lets out an ear-piercing, throat-ripping scream.

He covers his ears but looks at her with that indescribable look (that can't be admiration, can it? Why would he admire _her_?).

Eiralys slumps against the step again, and takes in a deep breath.

"You are not a lie," he says, his voice much firmer than hers but rougher, too. "You are the truest person I have met in a very long time- although that's not saying much for my line of work- but you are the furthest thing from a lie that I can think of."

He pauses, pulling an arm back to scratch his head. "I've only just met you, but I can tell you that much."

She closes her eyes again, but it's getting very dark out so it doesn't make much difference.

"Thank you," she says. "I don't know what I would have done if you… if you hadn't helped me."

He brushes her hair back from her face. "You would've been fine. You're stronger than you think you are."

"The screaming hurt a bit, though." She rubs her throat and he laughs (maybe she will be okay).


End file.
